


Rotom's Guide to Caring for your Human

by Hawkscape



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Disorder, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feeding, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 08:51:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8743327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hawkscape/pseuds/Hawkscape
Summary: Rotom can't help becoming fond of his human pal, but what happens when he's called upon to help them deal with the pressures of being the very best? Poke Beans must be the answer and surly not a heart to heart conversation. Surely.





	

Rotom had to admit that this gig in a Pokedex was sweet. He got carried around to a bunch of cool places, berries were brought to him whenever he wanted, and he saw lots of cool technology that he made mental notes to haunt later for fun. It also offered him the unique opportunity to observe the habits and patterns of the elusive wild human. He had heard mixed tales of humans and he had set out to find the truth. They seemed to not have any set habitat, roaming around constantly, never satisfied to sit still. They also had an odd habit of lying in others beds, only for a second, though, never to sleep. He figured it must be some kind of scent marking ritual. 

At the beginning of his research he had vowed to not get attached to his subject, but it was proving difficult. How they never seemed to give up and were always pushing forward was very endearing. Humans and Pokemon both made way for his ward as they blazed a path nonstop. Rotom liked to flit around like any other electric type, but he had to admit that even he sometimes wanted to stop and smell the flowers. They had been running through grass and dirt roads all night and it was very nearly morning. They were just passing a road stop when he noticed they weren't stopping. “Hey pal, we gonna take a rezzzzt?” 

They stopped running and looked down at him. “You need a recharge?” 

He contemplated lying, but that wasn't his style. “No, but you might.” 

They looked confused at him for a moment. “Humans don't need electricity, Ro.” 

He let out a burst of static in a huff. “I know that. You juzzzt seem to burning the candle at both endzzz izzz all.” 

They started walking slowly again as to not trip over anything while they looked at their electronic buddy. “I’m not a Litwick either.” 

Small sparks shot from the device. “I know you're not a Litwick. You-you-you’rrrre teasing me aren’t you?” 

The trainer’s straight face slowly cracked into a smile. “Mabye.” 

Rotom fumed silently before perking up again. “Hey, wait a minute, you're changing the subject!” They got a sheepish look on their face and the Pokemon calmed down. “Seriouzzzly though, when wazzz the last time you took a break and maybe ate something?” 

The new Alolan didn't look at their companion as they continued to walk through the underbrush. “You're not my mom.” 

His human was prime at deflection. “Pal?” They were staying silent. “Pal.” He didn't like to get serious but their health was at stake. “How long hazzz it been since you lazzzt ate?” 

They broke a small twig to distract himself from the line of questioning. “...I had some Roserade tea at the last poke center we stopped at.” 

Rotom couldn't believe that the human who groomed their Pokemon spotless after every battle and shoved Poke Beans towards anything that moved could be so irresponsible with their own health and upkeep. “Okay, one, that wazzz at least four hourzzz ago and, two, tea izzzn't food.” The trainer didn't seem to take his criticism to heart and instead mumbled something under their breath while ducking through low branches. “Wazzat? I can't hear-” 

They suddenly seemed to explode and stopped walking to devote all their attention to the handheld device. “I said I don't have time! I don't have time to stop and rest and eat. I’ll be fine.” 

Rotom was a little stunned, he has never seen his human get angry at anything before. He was genuinely confused at all of this. “Are we...on a time limit? Izzz someone waiting for you at the next town?” 

“Yes!” They shook their head slightly before cocking their head sideways. “No. Well, I...” The Pokemon waited for them to explain, but it seemed to take them a while to get the words out. “I have to get to the next trial as soon as possible so I can beat it and battle Hau and help Lillie with Nebby because if I don't they’ll all be disappointed in me and I have to for my mom and for the professor and I c-a-n’t-” Rotom noticed that they were starting to breath faster than normal and water was starting to leak from their eyes. “I can't slow down because then I'm not giving it my all and they'll leave me behind and I’ll be alone and-and-and-” 

Rotom wasn't entirely sure what to do so he tried to think of what helped him whenever he was sad. They were probably getting cranky because of hunger. He flew over to dig through their bag before pulling out a sweet Poke Bean. He flew up to there face where they were starting to hiccup slightly and tried to push the bean into their face, but only succeeded in smooshing their cheek. They stopped being lost in their own head long enough to notice what was going on. “Wha-?” 

Rotom tried to float steadily as to not stab them in the eye with the bean. “Hunger’zzz probably making you cranky. Have a bean.” 

They sniffed and smiled weakly. “I’m not sure Poke Beans are-” 

Their companion shoved the bean over their mouth. “Shh. No talk. Only beanzzz.” 

The trainer looked skeptically at the Pokemon’s serious face and then the bean before opening their mouth and crunching down on it. The sweetest flavor they had ever tasted exploded in their mouth. It tasted like someone had made sugar water and then took out the water. It was like honey or maple syrup, but without the viscosity. It shocked them enough that they stopped crying for the moment. Rotom took this as a victory and promptly started petting their head. 

After swallowing the bean, the trainer looked quizzically at the Pokedex currently rubbing their forehead with a small huff of laughter.. “Ro. What are you doing?” 

The advanced technology shushed them again. “Gotta pat you until you churp and heartzzz come flying out.” 

This made them laugh genuinely as they grabbed the Rotom from above their head and gave it a hug against their chest. “Ack! A Beware! Surly I will be crushed by itzzz brute strength!” 

The trainer spun around while keeping him close as he tried in vainly to wriggle free. “Only the most brutal of hugs for my friends.” 

Rotom finally gave up trying to get free and instead flopped his arms over his humans, trying not to get to dizzy. After a few twirls the trainer finally leaned against a tree to regain their balance. Rotom looked up at them as their face was almost dry now. “We’re friendzzz?” 

They looked down at their Pokedex. “Of course we are, pal.” 

The Pokemon started to float in the air again. “Hey, that's my line.” He floated to their shoulder and took a seat, as if to guide them. “How about we take Charizard to that sushi restaurant we passed by a little while back? I’ll let you use me to take pictures of the pretty food.” 

The trainer seemed to be mulling it over but they knew they couldn't really say no. “You let me do that anyway.” 

Rotom waved one of his paddles dismissively. “Shush. Put on your helmet, we’re riding a dragon to go eat seafood.” 

They didn't feel like putting up much of a fight. “Okay…” They conceded as they pulled out their ride pager and their helmet. As they held up the glowing beacon it got quiet as both trainer and Pokemon looked upwards to the darkening sky. 

“Hey, kid?” He didn't want to disturb the delicate peace they had achieved, but this was important. 

“Yeah, Ro?” They didn't look at him. 

The Pokemon paused a few moments while trying to figure out how to say what he meant. “When one of your Pokemon izzz hurt, do you keep going pushing them or do you let them rezzzt?” 

Their human looked at them puzzled and defensive. “Of course I let them rest! Do you think I’m pushing them to hard?” 

Rotom was quick to allay their fears. “No, no, of courzzze not. You let your Pokemon get the rezzzt and care they need. All I’m saying is that maybe you should do the same for yourself.” 

The trainer turned back to the sky and their shoulders slumped slightly. “I just...I don't want to disappoint everyone. They all think that I can just be this great trainer because Tapu Koko gave me the shiny stone, but they never asked me what I think.” 

It was hard for the Pokemon to be serious for any length of time, but he had a soft spot for his human and their troubles. “Well, what do you think?” 

They buried their face in the collar of their shirt. “I don't...know if I can do this. Everything’s so new here in Alola and before I could even get used to it I was shoved into doing the island challenge. I don't regret any of the people or Pokemon I met along the way, but I have this...pressure that if I ever misstep or fail at all, I’ll have let them all down and they'll hate me.” 

Rotom had never thought of it like that. Had the kid been unhappy this whole time and he hadn't noticed? They were coming dangerously back into water works territory and he wasn't sure his bean trick would work again. He had to make like a game system and console. “Whenever Lillie getzzz lost, or Hau lagzzz behind, are you disappointed in them?” 

They sniffed and blinked hard, trying not to cry again. “No, but-” 

“Does the professor or any of the captainzzz seem angry at them for it?” The Pokedex was not going to let this spiral any further out of control. 

“No but-but they-they didn't get the stone from-” They tapped at the shiny ring on their wrist. 

“Hau and Lillie have people they have to live up to to. Hau’zzz Grandfather’zzz a Kahuna and Lillie probably feelzzz indebted to the professor because of hizzz kindnezzz to her. Just because someone wantzzz you to succeed doesn't mean that they would hate you if you didn’t. Even if you decided to go home right now and never look at another zzz-crystal as long as you lived, all your friendzzz and family would still like you. If you have to prove your worth to someone for them to like you then they're not worth knowing.” They were both silent for a while with only the flashing off the beacon interrupting the stillness. 

Rotom was afraid he had said the wrong thing and made it worse, but then the kid spoke up. “Thanks Ro. You’re really smart.” 

The Pokemon rubbed the back of his casing with one of his paddles. “Yeah well...I try.” They both looked back up to the sky as a small shape beating its wings started to approach them. “Juzzzt know that if you ever need to talk about something, I love to talk.” 

They snorted and started to replace their beacon back in their ride pager. “It’s getting you to stop talking that's the problem.” 

Rotom scoffed as he settled himself securely in their bag for the flight. “How DARE. I am trying to be a good and caring friend and THIZZZ is how you repay me? Truly I am shocked and appalled.” He zipped himself into a pocket before he continued, more muffled than before. “And don't forget your helmet.” 

The trainer and future champion secured the chin strap while rolling their eyes. “Thanks MOM.” They gave the pocket Rotom was in a fond pat before waving down the approaching Charizard and starting their long overdue journey towards rest. The wind was rushing to loud in their ears to hear Rotom comment to himself in denial: “I’m NOT the mom friend…”

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to drop me a line!  
> http://hawkscape.tumblr.com/  
> https://www.youtube.com/c/HawkScape  
> http://hawkscape.deviantart.com/


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